The United Nations has called on Israel to take urgent steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza, warning that the ongoing war may involve some of the most serious violations of international law, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
In a new report released in Geneva, the UN human rights office said Israel’s military campaign since October 2023 includes actions that could amount to war crimes and other atrocity crimes. UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged Israel to follow a 2024 order from the International Court of Justice, which requires measures to prevent genocide.
Türk stressed that Israel must ensure its military avoids any acts of genocide and must act immediately to prevent and punish incitement to such crimes.
The report covers events from Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel through May 2025. That attack killed around 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and involved hostage-taking. The UN also condemned serious abuses by Palestinian armed groups, including torture and sexual violence against hostages held in harsh conditions.
However, much of the report focuses on Gaza, where more than 72,000 people have been killed, according to local health authorities whose data the UN considers credible. Many of these deaths, the report says, appear unlawful.
It accuses Israel of repeatedly targeting civilian areas and protected sites, including hospitals and aid workers. The report also warns that living conditions in Gaza have become so severe that they threaten the survival of Palestinians as a group.
In both Gaza and the occupied West Bank, the UN describes widespread displacement and destruction of homes. It raises concerns that these actions may be intended to permanently remove Palestinians from their land.
The report calls for accountability through independent and impartial investigations, urging that evidence be preserved for future legal action.
